Weather
__ II. WEATHER AND CLIMATE Weather: The conditions of the atmosphere at any given moment in time. Changes frequently throughout the day. WEATHER INGREDIENT DEFINITIONS: THE 5 WEATHER INGREDIENTS (NOTEBOOK) TEMPERATURE- THE AMOUNT OF HOTNESS/COLDNESS IN THE AIR. KINETIC ENERGY. AIR PARTICLES PRECIPITATION- RAIN, SNOW, SLEET, OR HAIL THAT FALLS TO THE GROUND. AIR PRESSURE- THE FORCE EXERTED ONTO A SURFACE BY THE WEIGHT OF THE AIR WIND (SPEED & DIRECTION)- THE NATURAL MOVEMENT OF THE AIR, ESPECIALLY IN THE FORM OF A CURRENT OF AIR BLOWING FROM A PARTICULAR DIRECTION. MOISTURE /HUMIDITY( DEW POINT, CLOUDS)- THE PRESENCE OF WATER VAPOR IN THE AIR. (AMOUNT) _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ CLIMATE VS. WEATHER: Article: NatGeo. www.nationalgeographic.org/article/weather-or-climate-whats-difference/ Article: NOAA: www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/weather-vs-climate#:~:text=Whereas%20weather%20refers%20to%20short,regions%20can%20have%20different%20climates. Weather vs. Climate: Diffen www.diffen.com/difference/Climate_vs_Weather NASA Climate vs. Weather www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/noaa-n/climate/climate_weather.html VIDEOS TO GET YOU THINKING!! WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=VHGYOA70Q7Y (Weather vs. Climate) CoCoRas WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?APP=DESKTOP&V=YBAWNY7FV3W&LIST=PLJFN_SRWIYSTHWBA-T4NELSQN25B7E2R3&INDEX=5 (Crash Course) WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=E0VJ-0IMOLW&FEATURE=YOUTU.BE (Trends and Variations) ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ WEATHER VS. CLIMATE ARTICLE WHAT EXACTLY IS WEATHER? MORE SPECIFICALLY, WEATHER IS THE MIX OF EVENTS THAT HAPPEN EACH DAY IN OUR ATMOSPHERE. EVEN THOUGH THERE’S ONLY ONE ATMOSPHERE ON EARTH, THE WEATHER ISN’T THE SAME ALL AROUND THE WORLD. WEATHER IS DIFFERENT IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD AND CHANGES OVER MINUTES, HOURS, DAYS, AND WEEKS. MOST WEATHER HAPPENS IN THE PART OF EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE THAT IS CLOSEST TO THE GROUND—CALLED THE TROPOSPHERE. AND, THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT FACTORS THAT CAN CHANGE THE ATMOSPHERE IN A CERTAIN AREA LIKE AIR PRESSURE, TEMPERATURE, HUMIDITY, WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION, AND LOTS OF OTHER THINGS. TOGETHER, THEY DETERMINE WHAT THE WEATHER IS LIKE AT A GIVEN TIME AND LOCATION. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ WEATHER INSTRUMENTS: WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=E8BJVFKXEU8 (Weather Instruments) www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySSyT44nma4 (Sammartanno) ARTICLE: WWW.WEATHERWIZKIDS.COM/WEATHER-INSTRUMENTS.HTM WEATHER INSTRUMENTS DEFINITIONS *THERMOMETER: MEASURES THE AIR TEMPERATURE. *BAROMETER MEASURES AIR PRESSURE. IT TELLS YOU WHETHER OR NOT THE PRESSURE IS RISING OR FALLING. A RISING BAROMETER MEANS SUNNY AND DRY CONDITIONS A FALLING BAROMETER MEANS STORMY AND WET CONDITIONS. AN ITALIAN SCIENTIST NAMED TORRICELLI BUILT THE FIRST BAROMETER IN 1643. *RAIN GAUGE: MEASURES THE AMOUNT OF RAIN THAT HAS FALLEN OVER A SPECIFIC TIME PERIOD. *WIND VANE: IS AN INSTRUMENT THAT DETERMINES THE DIRECTION FROM WHICH THE WIND IS BLOWING. *ANEMOMETER: MEASURES WIND SPEED. THE CUPS CATCH THE WIND, TURNING A DIAL ATTACHED TO THE INSTRUMENT. THE DIAL SHOWS THE WIND SPEED. WIND SOCK: IS A CONICAL TEXTILE TUBE, WHICH RESEMBLES A GIANT SOCK, DESIGNED TO INDICATE WIND DIRECTION AND RELATIVE WIND SPEED. *WEATHER MAPS :INDICATE ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS ABOVE A LARGE PORTION OF THE EARTH’S SURFACE. METEOROLOGISTS USE WEATHER MAPS TO FORECAST THE WEATHER. HYGROMETER: MEASURES THE AMOUNT OF WATER VAPOR IN THE AIR OR THE HUMIDITY. WEATHER BALLOON: MEASURES WEATHER CONDITIONS HIGHER UP IN THE ATMOSPHERE. COMPASS: IS A NAVIGATIONAL INSTRUMENT FOR FINDING DIRECTIONS. WEATHER SATELLITES: ARE USED TO PHOTOGRAPH AND TRACK LARGE-SCALE AIR MOVEMENTS. THEN METEOROLOGISTS COMPILE AND ANALYZE THE DATA WITH THE HELP OF COMPUTERS. YOUR EYES: ARE ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO HELP DETECT THE WEATHER. ALWAYS KEEP AN EYE AT THE SKY. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ATMOSPHERE: (LAYER OF GASES AROUND THE EARTH.) LAYERS OF THE ATMOSPHERE DIAGRAM AND BASIC INFO. WWW.NASA.GOV/MISSION_PAGES/SUNEARTH/SCIENCE/ATMOSPHERE-LAYERS2.HTML (VIDEOS BELOW) WWW.SCHOOLTUBE.COM/MEDIA/LAYERS+OF+THE+ATMOSPHERE/1_41JVYBMZ (RAINDROP) WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=LRRSE9WEJOG (MOON MATH) WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=WAIKVAAW2NK (STRUCTURE) LAYERS OF THE ATMOSPHERE: TROPOSPHERE: WHERE WE LIVE. ALL WEATHER IS HERE. (12 KM THICK) OUR AIR. !! MOST DENSE LAYER !!! STRATOSPHERE: OZONE LAYER IS HERE. (PROTECTS US FROM UV RAYS.) PLANES FLY HERE TO AVOID ROUGH WEATHER MESOSPHERE: COLDEST LAYER ...METEORS BURN UP HERE.) THERMOSPHERE: HOTTEST LAYER. *AURORAS/NORTHERN LIGHTS ARE HERE. (IONOSPHERE) EXOSPHERE: OUTER SPACE...BEYOND THE SATELLITES ARE HERE. BIG RESEARCH ARTICLE FROM NAT:GEO WWW.NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.ORG/ENCYCLOPEDIA/ATMOSPHERE/ WE LIVE AT THE BOTTOM OF AN INVISIBLE OCEAN CALLED THE ATMOSPHERE, A LAYER OF GASES SURROUNDING OUR PLANET. NITROGEN (78%) AND OXYGEN (21%) ACCOUNT FOR 99 PERCENT OF THE GASES IN DRY AIR, WITH ARGON, CARBON DIOXIDE, HELIUM, NEON, AND OTHER GASES MAKING UP MINUTE PORTIONS. WATER VAPOR AND DUST ARE ALSO PART OF EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE. OTHER PLANETS HAVE VERY DIFFERENT ATMOSPHERES. THE ATMOSPHERE IS SO SPREAD OUT THAT WE BARELY NOTICE IT, YET ITS WEIGHT IS EQUAL TO A LAYER OF WATER MORE THAN 10 METERS (34 FEET) DEEP COVERING THE ENTIRE PLANET. THE BOTTOM 30 KILOMETERS (19 MILES) OF THE ATMOSPHERE CONTAINS ABOUT 98 PERCENT OF ITS MASS . THE ATMOSPHERE—AIR—IS MUCH THINNER AT HIGH ALTITUDES. THERE IS NO ATMOSPHERE IN SPACE. THE ATMOSPHERE ACTS AS A GIGANTIC FILTER, KEEPING OUT MOST ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION WHILE LETTING IN THE SUN’S WARMING RAYS. ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION IS HARMFUL TO LIVING THINGS, AND IS WHAT CAUSES SUNBURNS. SOLAR HEAT, ON THE OTHER HAND, IS NECESSARY FOR ALL LIFE ON EARTH. EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE HAS A LAYERED STRUCTURE. FROM THE GROUND TOWARD THE SKY, THE LAYERS ARE THE TROPOSPHERE, STRATOSPHERE, MESOSPHERE, THERMOSPHERE, AND EXOSPHERE. ANOTHER LAYER, CALLED THE IONOSPHERE, EXTENDS FROM THE MESOSPHERE TO THE EXOSPHERE. BEYOND THE EXOSPHERE IS OUTER SPACE. THE BOUNDARIES BETWEEN ATMOSPHERIC LAYERS ARE NOT CLEARLY DEFINED, AND CHANGE DEPENDING ON LATITUDE AND SEASON. TROPOSPHERE THE TROPOSPHERE IS THE LOWEST ATMOSPHERIC LAYER. ON AVERAGE, THE TROPOSPHERE EXTENDS FROM THE GROUND TO ABOUT 10 KILOMETERS (6 MILES) HIGH, RANGING FROM ABOUT 6 KILOMETERS (4 MILES) AT THE POLES TO MORE THAN 16 KILOMETERS (10 MILES) AT THE EQUATOR. THE TOP OF THE TROPOSPHERE IS HIGHER IN SUMMER THAN IN WINTER. ALMOST ALL WEATHER DEVELOPS IN THE TROPOSPHERE BECAUSE IT CONTAINS ALMOST ALL OF THE ATMOSPHERE’S WATER VAPOR. CLOUDS, FROM LOW-LYING FOG TO THUNDERHEADS TO HIGH-ALTITUDE CIRRUS, FORM IN THE TROPOSPHERE. AIR MASSES, AREAS OF HIGH-PRESSURE AND LOW-PRESSURE SYSTEMS, ARE MOVED BY WINDS IN THE TROPOSPHERE. THESE WEATHER SYSTEMS LEAD TO DAILY WEATHER CHANGES AS WELL AS SEASONAL WEATHER PATTERNS AND CLIMATE SYSTEMS, SUCH AS EL NINO. AIR IN THE TROPOSPHERE THINS AS ALTITUDE INCREASES. THERE ARE FEWER MOLECULES OF OXYGEN AT THE TOP OF MOUNT EVEREST, NEPAL, FOR EXAMPLE, THAN THERE ARE ON A BEACH IN HAWAII. THIS IS WHY MOUNTAINEERS OFTEN USE CANISTERS OF OXYGEN WHEN CLIMBING TALL PEAKS. THIN AIR IS ALSO WHY HELICOPTERS HAVE DIFFICULTY MANEUVERING AT HIGH ALTITUDES. IN FACT, A HELICOPTER WAS NOT ABLE TO LAND ON MOUNT EVEREST UNTIL 2005. AS AIR IN THE TROPOSPHERE THINS, TEMPERATURE DECREASES. THIS IS WHY MOUNTAINTOPS ARE USUALLY MUCH COLDER THAN THE VALLEYS BENEATH. SCIENTISTS USED TO THINK TEMPERATURE CONTINUED TO DROP AS ALTITUDE INCREASED BEYOND THE TROPOSPHERE. BUT DATA COLLECTED WITH WEATHER BALLOONS AND ROCKETS HAVE SHOWED THIS IS NOT THE CASE. IN THE LOWER STRATOSPHERE, TEMPERATURE STAYS ALMOST CONSTANT. AS ALTITUDE INCREASES IN THE STRATOSPHERE, TEMPERATURE ACTUALLY INCREASES. SOLAR HEAT PENETRATES THE TROPOSPHERE EASILY. THIS LAYER ALSO ABSORBS HEAT THAT IS REFLECTED BACK FROM THE GROUND IN A PROCESS CALLED THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT. THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT IS NECESSARY FOR LIFE ON EARTH. THE ATMOSPHERE’S MOST ABUNDANT GREENHOUSE GASES ARE CARBON DIOXIDE, WATER VAPOR, AND METHANE. FAST-MOVING, HIGH-ALTITUDE WINDS CALLED JET STREAMS SWIRL AROUND THE PLANET NEAR THE UPPER BOUNDARY OF THE TROPOSPHERE. JET STREAMS ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY. AIRCRAFT SAVE TIME AND MONEY BY FLYING IN JET STREAMS INSTEAD OF THE LOWER TROPOSPHERE, WHERE AIR IS THICKER. STRATOSPHERE THE TROPOSPHERE TENDS TO CHANGE SUDDENLY AND VIOLENTLY, BUT THE STRATOSPHERE IS CALM. THE STRATOSPHERE EXTENDS FROM THE TROPOPAUSE, THE UPPER BOUNDARY OF THE TROPOSPHERE, TO ABOUT 50 KILOMETERS (32 MILES) ABOVE THE EARTH’S SURFACE. STRONG HORIZONTAL WINDS BLOW IN THE STRATOSPHERE, BUT THERE IS LITTLE TURBULENCE. THIS IS IDEAL FOR PLANES THAT CAN FLY IN THIS PART OF THE ATMOSPHERE. THE STRATOSPHERE IS VERY DRY AND CLOUDS ARE RARE. THOSE THAT DO FORM ARE THIN AND WISPY. THE STRATOSPHERE IS CRUCIAL TO LIFE ON EARTH BECAUSE IT CONTAINS SMALL AMOUNTS OF OZONE, A FORM OF OXYGEN THAT PREVENTS HARMFUL UV RAYS FROM REACHING EARTH. THE REGION WITHIN THE STRATOSPHERE WHERE THIS THIN SHELL OF OZONE IS FOUND IS CALLED THE OZONE LAYER. THE STRATOSPHERE’S OZONE LAYER IS UNEVEN, AND THINNER NEAR THE POLES. THE AMOUNT OF OZONE IN THE EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE IS DECLINING STEADILY. SCIENTISTS HAVE LINKED USE OF CHEMICALS SUCH AS CHLOROFLUOROCARBONS (CFCS) TO OZONE DEPLETION. MESOSPHERE THE MESOSPHERE EXTENDS FROM THE STRATOPAUSE (THE UPPER BOUNDARY OF THE STRATOSPHERE) TO ABOUT 85 KILOMETERS (53 MILES) ABOVE THE SURFACE OF THE EARTH. HERE, TEMPERATURES AGAIN BEGIN TO FALL. THE MESOSPHERE HAS THE COLDEST TEMPERATURES IN THE ATMOSPHERE, DIPPING AS LOW AS -120 DEGREES CELSIUS (-184 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, OR 153 KELVIN). THE MESOSPHERE ALSO HAS THE ATMOSPHERE’S HIGHEST CLOUDS. IN CLEAR WEATHER, YOU CAN SOMETIMES SEE THEM AS SILVERY WISPS IMMEDIATELY AFTER SUNSET. THEY ARE CALLED NOCTILUCENT CLOUDS, OR NIGHT-SHINING CLOUDS. THE MESOSPHERE IS SO COLD THAT NOCTILUCENT CLOUDS ARE ACTUALLY FROZEN WATER VAPOR--ICE CLOUDS. SHOOTING STARS—THE FIERY BURNOUT OF METEORS, DUST, AND ROCKS FROM OUTER SPACE—ARE VISIBLE IN THE MESOSPHERE. MOST SHOOTING STARS ARE THE SIZE OF A GRAIN OF SAND AND BURN UP BEFORE ENTERING THE STRATOSPHERE OR TROPOSPHERE. HOWEVER, SOME METEORS ARE THE SIZE OF PEBBLES OR EVEN BOULDERS. THEIR OUTER LAYERS BURN AS THEY RACE THROUGH THE MESOSPHERE, BUT THEY ARE MASSIVE ENOUGH TO FALL THROUGH THE LOWER ATMOSPHERE AND CRASH TO EARTH AS METEORITES. THE MESOSPHERE IS THE LEAST-UNDERSTOOD PART OF EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE. IT IS TOO HIGH FOR AIRCRAFT OR WEATHER BALLOONS TO OPERATE, BUT TOO LOW FOR SPACECRAFT. SOUNDING ROCKETS HAVE PROVIDED METEOROLOGISTS AND ASTRONOMERS THEIR ONLY SIGNIFICANT DATA ON THIS IMPORTANT PART OF THE ATMOSPHERE. SOUNDING ROCKETS ARE UNMANNED RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS THAT COLLECT DATA DURING SUB-ORBITAL FLIGHTS. THERMOSPHERE THE THERMOSPHERE IS THE HOTTEST AND THICKEST LAYER IN THE ATMOSPHERE. ONLY THE LIGHTEST GASES—MOSTLY OXYGEN, HELIUM, AND HYDROGEN--ARE FOUND HERE. THE THERMOSPHERE EXTENDS FROM THE MESOPAUSE (THE UPPER BOUNDARY OF THE MESOSPHERE) TO 690 KILOMETERS (429 MILES) ABOVE THE SURFACE OF THE EARTH. HERE, THINLY SCATTERED MOLECULES OF GAS ABSORB X-RAYS AND ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION. THIS ABSORPTION PROCESS PROPELS THE MOLECULES IN THE THERMOSPHERE TO GREAT SPEEDS AND HIGH TEMPERATURES. TEMPERATURES IN THE THERMOSPHERE CAN RISE TO 1,500 DEGREES CELSIUS (2,732 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, OR 1,773 KELVIN). THOUGH THE TEMPERATURE IS VERY HIGH, THERE IS NOT MUCH HEAT. HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE? HEAT IS CREATED WHEN MOLECULES GET EXCITED AND TRANSFER ENERGY FROM ONE MOLECULE TO ANOTHER. HEAT HAPPENS IN AN AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE (THINK OF WATER BOILING IN A POT). SINCE THERE IS VERY LITTLE PRESSURE IN THE THERMOSPHERE, THERE IS LITTLE HEAT TRANSFER. THE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE AND THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION (ISS) ORBIT THE EARTH IN THE THERMOSPHERE. EVEN THOUGH THE THERMOSPHERE IS THE SECOND-HIGHEST LAYER OF EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE, SATELLITES THAT OPERATE HERE ARE IN “LOW-EARTH ORBIT.” IONOSPHERE THE IONOSPHERE EXTENDS FROM THE TOP HALF OF THE MESOSPHERE ALL THE WAY TO THE EXOSPHERE. THIS ATMOSPHERIC LAYER CONDUCTS ELECTRICITY. LOCATED WITHIN THE THERMOSPHERE, THE IONOSPHERE IS MADE OF ELECTRICALLY CHARGED GAS PARTICLES (IONIZED). THE IONOSPHERE EXTENDS FROM 37 TO 190 MILES (60-300 KM) ABOVE THE EARTH'S SURFACE. THE IONOSPHERE—A LAYER OF FREE ELECTRONS AND IONS—REFLECTS RADIO WAVES. GUGLIELMO MARCONI, THE “FATHER OF WIRELESS,” HELPED PROVE THIS IN 1901 WHEN HE SENT A RADIO SIGNAL FROM CORNWALL, ENGLAND, TO ST. JOHN’S, NEWFOUNDLAND, CANADA. MARCONI’S EXPERIMENT DEMONSTRATED THAT RADIO SIGNALS DID NOT TRAVEL IN A STRAIGHT LINE, BUT BOUNCED OFF AN ATMOSPHERIC LAYER—THE IONOSPHERE. THE IONOSPHERE ALSO REFLECTS PARTICLES FROM SOLAR WIND, THE STREAM OF HIGHLY CHARGED PARTICLES EJECTED BY THE SUN. THESE ELECTRICAL DISPLAYS CREATE AURORAS (LIGHT DISPLAYS) CALLED THE NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN LIGHTS. EXOSPHERE THE EXOSPHERE IS THE UPPERMOST LAYER, WHERE THE ATMOSPHERE THINS OUT AND MERGES WITH INTERPLANETARY SPACE. IT IS LOCATED DIRECTLY ABOVE THE THERMOSPHERE. THE EXOSPHERE EXPANDS AND CONTRACTS AS IT COMES INTO CONTACT WITH SOLAR STORMS. IN SOLAR STORMS PARTICLES ARE FLUNG THROUGH SPACE FROM EXPLOSIVE EVENTS ON THE SUN, SUCH AS SOLAR FLARES AND CORONAL MASS EJECTIONS (CMES). SOLAR STORMS CAN SQUEEZE THE EXOSPHERE TO JUST 1,000 KILOMETERS (620 MILES) ABOVE THE EARTH. WHEN THE SUN IS CALM, THE EXOSPHERE CAN EXTEND 10,000 KILOMETERS (6,214 MILES). HYDROGEN, THE LIGHTEST ELEMENT IN THE UNIVERSE, DOMINATES THE THIN ATMOSPHERE OF THE EXOSPHERE. ONLY TRACE AMOUNTS OF HELIUM, CARBON DIOXIDE, OXYGEN, AND OTHER GASES ARE PRESENT. MANY WEATHER SATELLITES ORBIT EARTH IN THE EXOSPHERE. THE LOWER PART OF THE EXOSPHERE INCLUDES LOW-EARTH ORBIT. THE UPPER BOUNDARY OF THE EXOSPHERE IS VISIBLE IN SATELLITE IMAGES OF EARTH. CALLED THE GEOCORONA, IT IS THE FUZZY BLUE ILLUMINATION THAT CIRCLES THE EARTH. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ WHAT IS AIR? MODERN AIR DEFINITION AIR IS THE GENERAL NAME FOR THE *MIXTURE OF GASES THAT MAKES UP THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE. WHAT IS AIR MADE OF? DRY AIR IS PRIMARILY MADE UP OF NITROGEN (78.09%) AND OXYGEN (20.95%). THE REMAINING 1% IS MADE UP OF ARGON (0.93%), CARBON DIOXIDE (0.041% AS OF 2019) AND OTHER TRACE GASES (0.003%). WATER VAPOR (WATER IN ITS GASEOUS STATE) IS ALSO PRESENT IN THE ATMOSPHERE IN VARYING AMOUNTS, BY UP TO 2%. VARIABLE PARTS OF AIR (THINGS IN THE AIR OF WHICH THE AMOUNTS CHANGE) THE AIR IN OUR ATMOSPHERE HAS SOME VARIABLE COMPONENTS TO IT AS WELL. THESE VARIABLE COMPONENTS INCLUDE WATER VAPOR, DUST PARTICLES, AND OZONE. ALTHOUGH THESE ARE FOUND IN SMALL AMOUNTS, THEY CAN HAVE SIGNIFICANT EFFECTS ON WEATHER AND CLIMATE. THE AMOUNT OF WATER IS THE ATMOSPHERE VARIES BETWEEN 1 AND 4%. INTERESTING FACTS: CARBON DIOXIDE: THE AMOUNT OF CARBON DIOXIDE, ALTHOUGH SMALL, WILL LIKELY DOUBLE IN THE NEXT 100 YEARS AS MORE PETROLEUM AND COAL IS BURNED TO FUEL THE WORLD'S NEED FOR ENERGY. ABOUT HALF OF THE CARBON DIOXIDE PRODUCED IN THIS WAY GET ABSORBED BY VEGETATION, WHICH USES IT FOR PHOTOSYNTHESIS. OXYGEN: WHILE WE KNOW THAT VEGETATION PRODUCES OXYGEN AS PART OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS, THE ORIGIN OF THE HUGE AMOUNT OF OXYGEN IN THE ATMOSPHERE (20.95%) IS SOMEWHAT OF A MYSTERY. MOST OF IT IS THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN PRODUCED FROM CHEMICAL REACTIONS IN OCEAN SEDIMENTS. AIR FACTS climatekids.nasa.gov/10-things-air/ AIR ARTICLE: For Canvas Assignment WWW.HERSHEY.K12.PA.US/CMS/LIB/PA09000080/CENTRICITY/DOMAIN/379/WHATS%20IN%20THE%20AIR.PDF ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ How Does Air React to Altitude Changes: Regarding Temperature and Density? www.onthesnow.com/news/does-elevation-affect-temperature/ (Temperature) www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/altitude/ NatGeo Altitude (Density) Paragraph #6 lisbdnet.com/why-is-air-thinner-at-higher-altitudes/ (Lisbdnet: Q +A ) _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ AIR PRESSURE: www.slideshare.net/fadhiscops/air-pressure-94815060 What Is Air Pressure? The term “air pressure” is used in reference to the weight of air molecules pressing down on the earth. At sea level, air pressure is generally 14.7 psi (pounds per square inch), which means that 14.7 pounds are pressing down on every square inch of our bodies. The reason we can still move our bodies freely is because the air is exerting pressure on us in all directions, and the reason we aren’t crushed is because the air pressure inside our bodies is the same.Air pressure is determined by the following three factors:
One of the most interesting aspects of air pressure is that when a pocket of air pressure is changed, things begin to move. This pressure difference that creates movement is what causes wind, tornadoes and many other weather phenomena. When you’re discussing the movement of air, keep in mind that scientists speak in terms of the higher pressure “pushing” things, not lower pressure “pulling” things. How to Measure Air Pressure Air pressure is commonly measured using a mercury barometer. A mercury barometer contains a column filled with mercury, and the higher the air pressure is, the higher the column of mercury will be. By measuring the height of the column, you can determine the air pressure. These days, it’s more common to use a digital barometer, which is portable and more accurate than the traditional type. This device uses an electrical capacitor to measure air pressure. Air Pressure and Weather Areas with low pressure are generally associated with bad weather. If an area has low air pressure, air from neighboring areas, which have higher air pressure, will move in. This change, in turn, will cause the air to move upward, as it has nowhere else to go. When the air moves up, water vapor will condense, which will lead to the formation of clouds and rain. Areas with high pressure, on the other hand, are typically associated with good weather. In high-pressure areas, low-level air will spread outward, allowing air above to come down. This downward motion warms the air up, causing evaporation and leading to nice, dry weather. A: DEFINITION: PRESSURE/FORCE EXERTED on THE EARTH BY AIR: CER B: ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE. C: THE PRESSURE WITHIN A CONTAINER DUE TO THE COMPRESSION OF ATMOSPHERIC GASES. AIR PRESSURE ARTICLE: CER WEB.EXTENSION.ILLINOIS.EDU/TREEHOUSE/AIRPRESSURE.CFM?SLIDE=1 VIDEOS FOR YOU ON AIR PRESSURE: WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=XJHJSA7BYGC (ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE). CER WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=LGF1BPGFFYG (WHY DON'T WE GET CRUSHED BY AIR PRESSURE?) CER www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDf00z8sMFw. (How Heavy is Air ? TED). CER WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=9NZZ-EEVEJ8 (METEOROLOGIST EXPLAINS WEATHER MAPS) WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=ZZ95_VVTXZM (RAILROAD TANKER IMPLOSION) CER www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsoE4F2Pb20 (HS. Class Crushes 55 Gallon Drum). CER www.youtube.com/watch?v=28TIyWdfxxc (Egg Experiment) HOW HEAVY IS AIR? WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=VDF00Z8SMFW AIR PRESSURE FACTS 1. AIR PRESSURE: ALL DIRECTIONS. 14.7 LBS./SQ.IN AT SEA LEVEL CER 2.AIR IS MORE DENSE AT SEA LEVEL. IT GETS LESS DENSE AS WE GO HIGHER. AIR IS SAID TO BE "THINNER" AT MOUNTAIN TOPS DUE TO THE SPREADING OF OXYGEN ATOMS. 3.BAROMETERS MEASURE AIR PRESSURE. WE MEASURE PRESSURE IN PSI (LBS. PER SQUARE INCH) 4.AIR EXPANDS AS IT WARMS FORMING LOW PRESSURE AREAS.. (CLOUDS FORM EASIER SO POOR WEATHER IS ASSOCIATED W/ LOW PRESSURE) 5.AIR SINKS AS IT BECOMES MORE DENSE. (HIGH PRESSURE IS MORE LIKELY TO BRING FAIR WEATHER.) 6.CHANGES IN AIR PRESSURE CAUSES WIND. 7. WE ARE NOT CRUSHED BY AIR PRESSURE BECAUSE OUR INTERNAL FLUIDS EXERT EQUAL FORCE OUTWARDS. 8. TEMPERATURE -MOISTURE & ELEVATION ALL AFFECT AIR PRESSURE. 9. YOUR EARS POP WHEN YOU ARE IN AN AIRPLANE BECAUSE PRESSURE IN YOUR EARS IS GREATER THAN OUTSIDE. 10. HIGH PRESSURE = NICE WEATHER LOW PRESSURE= CLOUDY = RAINY WEATHER (WHY IS THIS ?????) _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ CAN CRUSHER (FOR THOSE ABSENT WHEN I DID THIS IN CLASS )CER WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=VCSXB5DKJMG. (CER) WHAT WE NOW KNOW : *THE __STEAM FORMED BY THE BOILING _WATER_PUSHED THE MOST OF THE AIR OUT OF THE CAN. *WHEN THE CAN WAS FINALLY FILLED WITH WATER VAPOR, YOU COOLED IT AND THE VAPOR CONDENCED SUDDENLY AND CHANGED IT BACK TO LIQUID WATER *WHEN THE WATER VAPOR CONDENSED, THE _AIR PRESSURE INSIDE THE CAN BECAME MUCH LESS THAN THE _AIR PRESSURE _OUTSIDE_ THE CAN. *THEN THE AIR PRESSURE OUTSIDE CRUSHED THE CAN. THIS IS BECAUSE THE FORCES OF PRESSURE BECAME UNBALANCED. CER _______________________________________________________________ WIND Videos: What makes wind ? (Handsome Science Teacher). www.youtube.com/watch?v=D52rTzibFRc Study Jams: www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyjHpbYiRs4 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC: ARTICLE WWW.NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.ORG/ENCYCLOPEDIA/WIND/#:~:TEXT=WIND%20IS%20THE%20MOVEMENT%20OF%20AIR%20CAUSED%20BY%20THE%20UNEVEN,THE%20EARTH%20BY%20THE%20SUN.&TEXT=WARM%20EQUATORIAL%20AIR%20RISES%20HIGHER,TO%20REPLACE%20THE%20HEATED%20AIR. WIND :IS THE MOVEMENT OF AIR CAUSED BY THE UNEVEN HEATING OF THE EARTH BY THE SUN. WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=P-G0YKFGDBA (CRASH COURSE #1) WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=_FCXL61NZS0&T=46S (CRASH COURSE #2) *DIFFERENCES IN ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE GENERATE WINDS. *AT THE EQUATOR, THE SUN WARMS THE WATER AND LAND MORE THAN IT DOES THE REST OF THE GLOBE. *WARM AIR AT THE EQUATOR RISES HIGHER INTO THE ATMOSPHERE AND MOVES TOWARD THE POLES. THIS IS A LOW-PRESSURE SYSTEM. *AT THE SAME TIME, COOLER, DENSER AIR MOVES OVER EARTH’S SURFACE TOWARD THE EQUATOR TO REPLACE THE HEATED AIR. THIS IS A HIGH-PRESSURE SYSTEM. *WINDS GENERALLY BLOW FROM HIGH-PRESSURE AREAS TO LOW-PRESSURE AREAS. WIND: THE MOVEMENT OF AIR IS: CAUSED BY CHANGES IN AIR PRESSURE DUE TO UNEQUAL HEATING OF THE EARTH VIDEO FOR YOU: WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=-S7ZOUBWXMC (WHY DOES WIND ...) ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Global Winds: Wind Zones Image for Notes: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Atmospheric_Circulation_effect_of_an_expanding_tropics.png GLOBAL WINDS: WINDS THAT ARE EXPERIENCED AROUND THE WORLD. TRAVEL GREAT DISTANCES. WWW.E-EDUCATION.PSU.EDU/EARTH111/NODE/1013 (GLOBAL WINDS EXPLAINED) VIDEO FOR YOU! WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=5QOVWX-6G-Q (MUSSELMAN SCIENCE) WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=GVXPTQUQTIU (GLOBAL WINDS AND JET STREAMS) TYPES OF GLOBAL WINDS VIDEOS: WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=HDSUMQYUUM8 (ALL ABOUT GLOBAL WINDS....MOO MOO MATH) WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=NQ3TJ-TDQIK (MOO MOO MATH:GLOBAL WINDS) TRADE WINDS: A WIND BLOWING STEADILY TOWARDS THE EQUATOR FROM THE NORTHEAST IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE OR THE SOUTHEAST IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE, ESPECIALLY AT SEA. TWO BELTS OF TRADE WINDS ENCIRCLE THE EARTH, BLOWING FROM THE TROPICAL HIGH-PRESSURE BELTS TO THE LOW-PRESSURE ZONE AT THE EQUATOR. 0-30 DEGREES LATITUDE N & S THE WESTERLIES OR PREVAILING WESTERLIES,: ARE PREVAILING WINDS FROM THE WEST TOWARD THE EAST IN THE MIDDLE LATITUDES BETWEEN 30 AND 60 DEGREES LATITUDE. THEY ORIGINATE FROM THE HIGH-PRESSURE AREAS IN THE HORSE LATITUDES AND TREND TOWARDS THE POLES AND STEER EXTRATROPICAL CYCLONES IN THIS GENERAL MANNER. POLAR EASTERLIES: THE POLAR EASTERLIES ARE THE DRY, COLD PREVAILING WINDS THAT BLOW FROM THE HIGH-PRESSURE AREAS OF THE POLAR HIGHS AT THE NORTH AND SOUTH POLES TOWARDS LOW-PRESSURE AREAS WITHIN THE WESTERLIES (FROM 60 DEGREES TO 90 DEGREES N & S.) __________________________________________________________ JET STREAMS: A NARROW VARIABLE BAND OF VERY STRONG WESTERLY AIR CURRENTS AROUND THE GLOBE SEVERAL MILES ABOVE THE EARTH. THERE ARE TYPICALLY TWO OR THREE JET STREAMS IN EACH OF THE NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN HEMISPHERES. WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=O203JXANSA0 (WHAT IS THE JET STREAM) WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=LG91EOWTFBW (MET OFFICE) ________________________________________________________________________ AREAS: NOT WINDS !! DOLDRUMS: IS A EXPRESSION DERIVED FROM HISTORICAL MARITIME USAGE, WHICH REFERS TO THOSE PARTS OF THE ATLANTIC OCEAN AND THE PACIFIC OCEAN AFFECTED BY A LOW-PRESSURE AREA AROUND THE EQUATOR WHERE THE PREVAILING WINDS ARE CALM. HORSE LATITUDES: AREA OF VERY LIGHT WINDS LOCATED AT 30 DEGREES N & S LATITUDE. _____________________________________________________________________________ Global Wind Zone Descriptions: can be found in the Nat. Geo Article above used for our DN entries. Global Wind Study Games: wordwall.net/resource/652812/science/global-winds. Word Wall CONVECTION CELLS OR HADLEY, FARRELL AND POLAR CELLS: CONVECTION CURRENTS CAUSE BY THE RISING OF AIR NEAR THE EQUATOR. THE AIR THEN MOVES TOWARDS THE POLE BECOMES MORE DENSE FROM COOLING...THEN SINKS. WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=7FD03FBRSUU (MET OFFICE #1) WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=XQM83_OG1FC (MET OFFICE #2) WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=PDECAXFSYAI (MET OFFICE #3) CORIOLIS AFFECT: THE APPARENT CURVING OF THE WIND CAUSED BY THE ROTATION OF THE EARTH. VIDEOS: www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDsUMqYuUm8 (Moo-Moo Math) Global Winds WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=MPSLANVS1Q8 (NAT. GEO-THROW) WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=HIYBPI7B-DE (ATLAS PRO) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ LOCAL WINDS: WINDS THAT MOVE SHORT DISTANCES AND ARE MADE DUE TO GEOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF CERTAIN AREAS. (IE: SEA/LAND BREEZES....MOUNTAIN/VALLEY BREEZE) IMPORTANT: LAND SURFACES ABSORB MUCH MORE SOLAR RADIATION THAN WATER. THIS IS DUE TO THE FACT THAT MOST LAND SURFACES ARE DARKER THAN WATER WHICH OF COURSE MEANS MORE ABSORPTION OF SOLAR RADIATION AND HEAT. WATER REFLECTS MOST SOLAR RADIATION THAT REACHES ITS SURFACE BACK TO THE ATMOSPHERE. THOUGH H2O TAKES LONGER TO HEAT UP...IT HANGS ON TO ITS ENERGY FOR A LONG TIME COMPARED TO LAND. LAND HEATS QUICKLY BUT LOSES ITS HEAT QUICKLY. SEA BREEZE: *DAYTIME WIND; *AIR OVER LAND IS WARMER AND RISES(Low Pressure). AIR OVER THE SEA IS COOLER AND MORE DENSE. IT SINKS( High pressure). *AIR MOVES INTO THE LAND FROM THE SEA. *STRONGER THAN LAND BREEZES. LAND BREEZE: *NIGHT WIND. *AIR OVER THE SEA IS WARMER THAN THE LAND, SO IT RISES. (Low pressure) *AIR OVER LAND IS COOLER AND SINKS. (High Pressure) +AIR MOVES TO THE SEA FROM THE LAND. SEA BREEZES AND LAND BREEZES VIDEOS FOR YOU: WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=VN3F7PGELMQ WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=GWWUXXDHOBS ____________________________________________________________________________ |